“A person’s mind is a mysterious labyrinth of thoughts, feelings, memories, ideas and compulsions; the mind of a young girl is likely even more complex.

“Disney-Pixar’s latest animated offering, Inside Out, bravely delves into that intricate world in a way that effectively captures the nuances of the way people feel and think—and maybe helps them understand why they act the way they do sometimes.

“Developed with the guidance of University of California, Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner, the film tells the tale of Riley, an 11-year old whose family relocates from Minnesota to San Francisco.

“Through the move, Riley loses her friends and beloved hockey team and is forced to transition to a place where pizza is served with broccoli as a topping and the cool girls in school wear eye shadow, much to Riley’s surprise.”

Shifflett describes the role of the “five emotions operating at Headquarters (Riley’s brain): Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Anger. …

“The importance of Sadness and, indeed, the other less pleasant emotions such as Fear, Disgust and Anger, is highlighted multiple times throughout the film when their roles and functions are explained.”

Also see related article Counseling goes to the movies By Bethany Bray“Movies can be a hit-the-nail-on-the-head portrayal of life, including mental health struggles and relationship problems that counselors hear about on a daily basis.”

Inside Out was named “Best Animated Feature” at the 2016 Academy Awards.

Producer and director Pete Docter said in his acceptance speech:

“This film was really born from watching our kids grow up, which is not easy!

“Anyone out there who’s in junior high, high school, working it out, suffering – there are days you’re going to feel sad. You’re going to feel angry. You’re going to feel scared. That’s nothing you can choose.

“But you can make stuff. Make films. Draw. Write. It will make a world of difference.”

Morty Lefkoe on how our strong feelings get conditioned – What causes anxiety and other negative emotions can result from the meaning we unconsciously attribute to events in life. And meaning can be changed. Morty Lefkoe, an expert on changing limiting beliefs, explains how classical conditioning can work against our emotional stability.

Creative Expression and Healing
Creative expression can transform our painful reactions to traumatic or difficult experiences, providing a way to give voice to painful feelings. Charlize Theron is an example…

About Douglas Eby

Douglas Eby (M.A./Psychology) is author of the Talent Development Resources series of sites including High Ability; Highly Sensitive and Creative; The Creative Mind and others - which provide "Information and inspiration to enhance creativity and personal development." Also see Résumé.

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The Creative Mind is part of a series of sites by Douglas Eby - providing information and inspiration for exploring your creativity and personal development.